Lebanon ex-FM says US demanded he reject Hezbollah before sanctions

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by AFP -- BEIRUT — Lebanon’s former foreign minister Gebran Bassil on Sunday said the United States had urged him to sever ties with Shiite movement Hizbollah before targeting him with sanctions over alleged corruption. The punitive measures announced on Friday are the first against a senior Christian ally of Hizbollah, long targeted by US sanctions and blacklisted as a “terrorist” organisation. Bassil in a televised statement said the US embassy informed him he “should immediately comply with four demands or US sanctions would be implemented”. “Throughout all this discussion, the word corruption was never mentioned,” the 50-year-old son-in-law of Lebanon’s president added. He said the first demand was for him to “immediately sever ties with Hizbollah”, which then became the only request. He did not elaborate on the three other initial demands.

When he refused to comply, it appeared the sanctions “were linked to corruption and Hizbollah was barely mentioned, although they had not talked to me about anything but Hizbollah”, he said. He described the measures against him as a “crime”, and said he would be directing lawyers to appeal the decision and demand “moral and material compensation” in a US court. He spoke after his father-in-law, Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun, on Saturday said he had requested evidence of Bassil’s alleged wrongdoings. The US Treasury said it had targeted Bassil “for his role in corruption in Lebanon”, alleging in particular that he “steered Lebanese government funds to individuals close to him through a group of front companies” as energy minister. Bassil has been a minister in all cabinets from 2008 to 2019, most recently foreign minister in the government that stepped down under pressure from massive street protests last autumn. He is also head of the Free Patriotic Movement political party founded by Aoun, which together with Hizbollah and other allies holds a parliamentary majority. Critics have claimed he was behind many shady state dealings, especially during his time at the head of the energy ministry between 2009 and 2014. Bassil has repeatedly denied the accusations.

McCarthy: Pelosi is 10 Democratic votes away from losing House speaker race

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by foxnews.com  -- Angelic a Stabile -- With Republicans adding House seats in the 2020 election, House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told “Sunday Morning Futures” that it would only take 10 Democrats to block Nancy Pelosi from being reelected as House speaker. McCarthy made the comments after his party flipped at least seven seats from blue to red and an eighth seat in Michigan that was most recently occupied by a Libertarian. Pelosi has announced her bid for reelection as speaker, but McCarthy said that is not a sure thing with the slimmer Democratic majority. “To become speaker, you have to have 218 votes on the floor,” he explained. “When she went up for that vote two years ago, there were 15 Democrats who voted against her. Ten of those Democrats will be coming back to Congress. If those 10 vote against her again, she will not be speaker of the House ... because of the gains of the Republicans.” “We are close enough now that we can control the floor with a few Democrats joining with us,” he said.

Pelosi defended the 2020 results, saying Democrats "lost some battles, but we won the war." McCarthy said America is rejecting socialism by voting in Republicans across the nation and specifically electing GOP women in states like California, Florida and New York – setting a record number of women elected. “We won by Republican women winning,” he said. “That says something about what President Trump has been able to do – to expand this party, bring diversity, and that brings strength. The same thing that brings strength to America, diversity, is now in the Republican Party as well."

More Lebanese officials to face sanctions after Gebran Bassil

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by EPHREM KOSSAIFY -- NEW YORK: Gebran Bassil may be the first Lebanese politician to be subjected to sanctions under the Magnitsky Act — designed to punish corruption and human rights violations — but he certainly won’t be the only one. According to a US official source — who asked to remain anonymous — 23 other Lebanese politicians and individuals have also been blacklisted. Two months ago, the State Department contacted those designated — in addition to Bassil — and set an ultimatum for them to alter behavior or face isolation through sanctions. The official told Arab News that, while four managed to get off the list, the other 19 had tried to get around the requirements “by going around, offering to strike deals, hoping to outsmart the US administration.”

Some with close ties to Bassil did not relent in “backstabbing Bassil, thinking that would get them off the hook. It didn’t work out.” However, the official warned that “no Lebanese politician should be feeling happy. Some of the individuals blacklisted are close to Saad Hariri (the Lebanese Prime Minister), as well. So, no one feels happy about Bassil’s misfortune. Many more Lebanese politicians and their allies will follow. All corruption will be met with sanctions.” He added that the State Department contacted Bassil again ten days ago and asked him to publicly distance himself from Hezbollah.

Bassil, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, who is at the center of government formation effort, tried to reason with the Americans: His alliance with Hezbollah could yield benefits that are otherwise impossible to achieve, arguing about the important role he played in facilitating the maritime borders talks between Israel and Lebanon. But the Americans would have none of it. That was the last Bassil heard from them before sanctions were enacted. On Friday, Bassil said on Twitter that he was not “scared” of the sanctions and had not been “tempted” by promises. In September, the US blacklisted two ex-Lebanese government ministers, Hassan Khalil and Youssef Fenianos for providing material support for Hezbollah and engaging in government corruption.

Iran Hopes for Change in 'Destructive US Policies' With Biden

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by reuters -- Iran's vice president said Saturday he hoped for a change in "destructive U.S. policies" after Democrat Joe Biden was declared in the media to have clinched the electoral college, Iranian state media reported. "I hope we will see a change in the destructive policies of the United States, a return to the rule of law and international obligations and respect for nations" Eshagh Jahangiri was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

Biden Declares Victory in Contested Election

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By Eric Mack newsmax.com -- Democrat Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., have declared victory in a national acceptance speech amid a contested presidential election Saturday night in Wilmington, Delaware. "Folks, the people of this nation have spoken," Biden told his drive-in celebration. "They delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory. A victory for we the people. We won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of the nation: 74 million." "I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify, who doesn't see red states or blue states – only sees the United States. "I sought this office to restore the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation, the middle class, and to make America respected around the world again – to unite us here at home."

Biden saluted his running mate Harris, potentially the first woman and first woman of color to win on a presidential ticket. "I will have the honor to serve with the fantastic vice president you just heard from, Kamala Harris," Biden said. "She'll make history as the first woman, first woman, first black woman, first woman of south descent, first woman of immigrants. "Don't tell me it's not possible in the United States. It's long overdue. "Harris spoke first to introduce Biden in an emotional address to the nation. "You delivered a clear message: You chose hope, and unity, decency, science, and, yes, truth," she said. "You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America." Harris saluted the women and minority candidates before her than blazed a path to the White House. "I reflect on their struggle, their determination, and the strength of their vision to see what can be unburdened by what has been," she said. "And I stand on their shoulders. And what a testament it is to Joe's character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice president."

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US hits ‘corrupt’ Lebanese political leader Gibran Bassil with sanctions

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By RAY HANANIA - arabnews.com -- CHICAGO: Lebanese political leader Gibran Bassil has been hit by US sanctions, with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo accusing him of being “notorious for corruption.” Bassil, who has held various ministerial roles and heads the Free Patriotic Movement, has had his US assets frozen and is barred from entering the country. Pompeo said Bassil was in violation of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13818, which targets rights abuses and corruption under the 2015 Magnitsky Act. The Magnitsky Act gives the president the power to block US entry and impose property sanctions against any foreign person, or entity, who is responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights or is engaged in government corruption. “Bassil has served in multiple high-level posts in the Lebanese government, including as minister of foreign affairs and emigrants, minister of energy and water, and minister of telecommunications,” Pompeo said. “Throughout his government career, Bassil has become notorious for corruption and has been linked to the purchase of influence within Lebanese political circles. While minister of energy, Bassil was involved in approving several projects that would have steered Lebanese government funds to individuals close to him through a group of front companies.”

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